


For a Sister's Love

by Rukomura



Category: Original Work
Genre: Features OCs, Gen, Inspired by a videogame
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-11-20
Updated: 2015-12-06
Packaged: 2018-05-02 14:15:41
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,968
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5251250
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Rukomura/pseuds/Rukomura
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Ruko would lead a very normal and peaceful life if not for her sister's illness, which forces her to stay in bed.<br/>It's when her sister goes into a coma on the night of her village's festival she decides to look for a legendary flower and save her relative, as well as looking for her father, a doctor who disappeared searching for the same plant on a dog-shaped island.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. A Sudden Change in Routine

**Author's Note:**

> This fanfiction is inspired by the ps2 and wii videogame "The Dog Island", produced by Yuke's.  
> The plot is basically the same with many differences: from the fact the main character is a girl and all characters are human. Many details will be changed to make it a more original story and to give this OC of mine (which is actually the avatar I used for the game) the background she needs.

Every morning, just as her mother was calling her for breakfast, the sunshine would penetrate the window on top of Ruko's bed and welcome her for the new day. It was a very cold day though and the rays were not as warm as they were a few months ago. It gave Ruko the good opportunity to oversleep for just five minutes, if it weren't for mom's voice.  
  
"Come on Rukoo!! It's already late for you to still be sleeping! Didn't you want to go to the festival this evening with your friends?" She felt her beloved blankets taken away from her body and coldness enveloped her in an unwanted embrace. She opened her eyes and gazed at the figure gazing her back.  
  
"Good girl."  
  
As mom went to the kitchen, Ruko stood up and yawned hard. She didn't have a good sleep. It was for a very simple reason: her sister was not feeling well, again. Her mom and she had to call the doctor in the middle of night and pray it wasn't the last time they would see her. Fortunately, when she calmed down and was put to sleep, Ruko decided to return to bed as well.  
  
"Ruko!"  
  
Her sister's voice took her back to reality. She slept on the bed in front of her in the same room. Their home was too little for a family of three, limiting the privacy of each other, but Ruko didn't mind. She rarely did something suspicious.  
  
"Maria, have you rested well?" She asked at the child, a warm smile ornating her face and in contrast with the still sleepy eyes.  
  
"Yes I did! Uhh..." Maria tried to sit on bed, but considered afterwards it was too demanding from her weak body. Ruko's smile almost faded.  
  
"Are you hungry? I'll bring you breakfast." Ruko approacched the table to take both her and Maria's plates, only to be stopped by her mom.  
  
"I'll do it. You can eat, dear."  
  
***  
The doctor came before Ruko was heading out to buy few things at the village's shops. Her anxiety was yet again confirmed when the old man gave his little speech.  
  
"She is still too weak to walk out. I am afraid she must stay in bed during the festival too."  
  
"What?? No! I wanna go with Rukoo!" She lamented and kicked at her limit. Mom shook her head firmly, yet in grief for her child.  
  
"I'm so sorry, Maria... I know you wanted to see fireworks... but It's for your health, you understand?"  
  
"Uh-huh, but..."  
  
"No buts. I am still puzzled at how much you've been handling with the illness of yours. According to most records, you should've..."  
  
"That's enough, doctor." Ruko shouted a little too much than accorded. The doctor sighed and was accompanied by the young girl, alarming her that her sister could breathe her last in any moment.  
  
"There is really no cure?"  
  
"I am afraid not. And your father--- that very good colleague of mine working on the cure... he's still missing, isn't he?"  
  
"... Please, have a good day, doctor." Ruko couldn't bear anything of the old man's talk. Each of it was a truth that hurt her more than needed.  
  
"Mom, I'm going to stay here for the festival."  
  
"What? What are you saying? You should go and have fun yourself! I'll stay with your sister, you don't have to worry about it."  
  
"But mom...! I promised her we would go together this year! I cannot..."  
  
"Dear... please, you don't have to burden yourself with your sister's illness. You must live your life and have fun at your age! Please, Ruko..."  
  
"Mom..."  
  
"It's okay, Ruko... Mama will be with me and I'll be fine in no time! But buy me a souvenir!" It struck her how Maria was always so stronger than her. She knew she could die any instant, and yet... she never showed fear. She still wanted to live and be with her family. She was so stubborn like Dad, and had to take example from her, no doubt.  
  
"Maria... I'll be sure to take you somewhere nice when you'll feel better, I promise you! Until then... until then... please, keep living!" Tears were starting to stream on her face and ruin her light make-up, but was fast enough to salute her family and go out for little commissions.  
  
Hound welcomed her with sights of the little port in front of her and the plaza just below the hill from which her house was located. Few people were buying milk and other necessities to the shop on the left, while many others were decorating the bay for the Star Festival. She noticed a big ship she had never seen before had anchored and little figures were moving back and forth. She could not be distracted from such things, however, and moved past the plaza, where most shops could be found for everything.  
Sometimes she thought it was such a fortune to have finished school way before her friends. Since a child she was educated by her father, giving her the possibility to skip a few years and join with the seniors. She still did not want to look for a job, fearing she would not see her sister as often as she wanted.  
Next to the path leading to the bay, Ruko met with her two best friends Vera and Ricky. Both were still on their last year of school, but thanks to the festival, they had a whole week of break from studies.  
  
"So your sister won't come this year either? That's unfortunate." Commented the boy walking next to the other girl, who liked teasing very much most of the time.  
  
"You should cheer up though, Ruko! You heard medicine and science are going straight down their road, right? Who knows, they might find a cure for Maria's illness tomorrow morning!"  
  
"I doubt it, Vera. Dad told me doctors don't even know what's the illness' origin. They even doubt it is genetic."  
  
"Speaking of your dad... still missing, huh?"  
  
"Ricky!" Vera kicked the poor boy's leg violently. He groaned in pain as Ruko let out a little laugh.  
  
"W-What did I say?!"  
  
"It's alright, Vera. It's been 3 months since his last letter. Mom is even more worried than I am." She looked at the clouded sky, right when snowflakes fell on her nose.  
  
***  
"Sister! Please lemme go with you!" Ruko turned her head towards the door of the house. A slight of the entrance was opened and there stood Maria with a long coat, gloves, scarf and hat included.  
  
"M-Maria!" The young girl wanted to scold the child, but was much too surprised to see her standing up just fine and smiling.  
  
"I'm fine! See?"  
  
"B-But mom...!"  
  
"Mom's sleeping! Please, Ruko! If I'm with you I'll stay good! Let's go, please!"  
  
"..."  
  
Ruko took her little sister's hand and both descended to the village, adorned with luminous lights and sparkles on the buildings. It was Maria's first time seeing Hound like this; however, as much as she wanted to run along other kids and buy all sorts of sweets, she stayed with her big sister.  
"Maria! You're fine little one!" Vera and Ricky were just as surprised when they spotted their friend with her sister. Maria waved eagerly at the two teens, then her attention was caught by the first of the many events of the night.  
  
"A Treasure Hunt! Find five seashells to win your desired prize! Join now!"  
  
"Ruko, Ruko! Look Look!" Both sisters were in the middle of the plaza with many other people, waiting for the participants.  
  
"I really want that plushie..." Maria pointed at one of the many prizes of the Treasure Hunt: a small german shepherd plushie staring with its big brown eyes.  
  
"I'll win just for you then; stay here, okay?" Ruko gave her sister a kiss on her cheek and joined the other participants. She never played Treasure Hunt before, but she would do everything to make her sister at least happy, just for the day she could breathe fresh air.  
  
She ran down the bay when the gun was shot, looking everywhere for the precious seashells. Three were easy to find, but the other two were nowhere to be found.  
She crossed glares with another participant, a boy who wanted to kick her in the sea and take the fourth manufact. Ruko was faster and smarter than him, winning the whole competition as her rival was cursing her in the cold water.  
"Here's the winner! Congratulations, young girl! Say, any words?"  
  
"My victory goes to..."  
  
People screamed. A girl fell unconscious just as Ruko was giving her speech. A couple took her and asked if anyone knew her.  
Ruko froze in place.  
  
"MARIA!"  
  
***  
"She asked too much from her body." The doctor concluded. Ruko was so shocked she didn't speak at all. She had taken Maria and ran to her house, waking her mom up in full anxiety and waiting for the old man to come yet again.  
  
"I don't think she will wake up anytime soon. She hit her head while fainting."  
  
"Oh, my poor little Maria..." The woman cried to her sorrow, giving up any hope for her child to even survive a little longer.  
  
"Doctor." Ruko broke her silence, a new sparkle in her eyes and full of determination.  
  
"Isn't really any other way to save Maria from her illness? Are you really sure? Then why did my father departed?"  
  
"..." The doctor was silent for a full minute. However, Ruko still did not give up. She had to know. Something was up.  
  
"Your father believed there was a plant able to cure any illness. It is a mere legend though; nobody ever claimed to have found it, nor it is known its exact location. Your father, instead, believed it could grow in a remote area of the island northeast of us, in the shape of a dog."  
  
"Dad..." Ruko muttered to herself. She closed her eyes and took a firm decision. Nobody could stop her now.  
  
"I'll go! I'll leave home and find the herb for my sister's illness!"  
  
"Are you crazy?!" The doctor snapped from his calm expression. "You alone... in a land you don't know?!"  
  
"Ruko!"  
  
"Mom, I have decided! Dad did not leave us for the sake of it! I will be fine, I can do this. I'll do it for us and for Maria... she has to live! And... I will find dad and take him back home! Please! If I don't do it, then Maria..."  
  
"Stubborn as your father, aren't you?" The doctor gave the girl a thick book, covered in dust and with no title on its cover.  
  
"This book will come in handy. It describes what little is known of the Legendary Flower."  
  
"Doctor! Do you really think I will let my child go?!"  
  
"Mom, please. You want dad home and Maria as healthy as ever, don't you? I have to go. I must go. Please, mom... I'll promise you, if I will fail, I will come back. Mom..."  
  
"Ruko... Ruko, promise me one more thing: You will come back here, all right, with that herb. Don't let your sister... die like this."


	2. The Dog-Shaped Island

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter 2 is finally out! I wanted to make it longer but I guess most things will be narrated in chapter 3. Might be shorter than the first chapter for that. Please enjoy!

It was even darker than the day before. Big snowflakes flew on Hound hitting the ground violently, forcing citizens to lock themselves until the storm was over.  
Ruko and her mom were staring at the big ship tracked at the bay. Marines and their captain were re-arranging their mess on the deck before traversing the sea once more, amid the snow.  
Unlike many mercancy ships that arrived at Hound port each week for supplies, this one was almost an anomaly. It was twice as big as any other ship Ruko had ever seen, and even the captain spoke in a foreign accent she couldn't grasp. However, she was surprised when they asked him to accompany her to the dog-shaped island and he accepted with no conditions whatsoever. He still warned her of how the place was dangerous, given the many pointy cliffs around the coast.  
  
"We're ready to sail." The man announced. The mom hugged her daughter tightly.  
  
"I told you already, I will be fine." She commented and smiled. She walked the boat slip with steady steps, until she was stopped by two voices overlapping each other.  
  
"Ruko!"  
  
"Are you really departing?!"  
  
Vera and Ricky stopped to catch some air; they were coming from the highest hill of the entire village, where the biggest houses were built.  
Ruko turned to face them, surprised to see them at such a hour. Did the news spread so fast overnight?  
"I'm sorry for not saying anything. It was all too sudden..."  
  
"We know, moron!" Panted the man and grinned. "Be careful out there... I didn't hear good things about that island."  
  
"And write us some letters, too!"  
  
"I will, Vera. Thank you!"  
  
Ruko quickly waved her hand to her friends and bid goodbye to everyone. She spotted some few people were saluting her as well, most of which were from the Treasure Hunt.  
As soon as Ruko stepped on the main deck of the ship, the Captain ordered his men to sail to the mysterious island. A gentle sea breeze moved the girl's hair as she watched her mom crying and smiling.  
It took a while to farther from Hound port, albeit the wind was totally favourable. Clouds gradually started fading, revealing a clear and bright blue sky just like the sea.  
  
"It's not a vacation." Had said one day the captain she nicknamed "Dorado" for his sparkling gold eyes. Ruko knew what he meant by that.  
After a week in the middle of the sea, She was tasked helping sailors with arranging goods and cleaning the deck. She would fast fall asleep on the hard cold wood, staring at the stars and a faint smile on her face, thinking of her sister. The weather was unchanging, favoring the smooth trip to the island. Sometimes little clouds were scattered in the blue, nothing threatening.  
After almost a month, the sky was replaced with dark menacing clouds and aggressive waves, to the point the captain yelled at his men to prepare the sails. A storm so violent threatened the ship of Dorado but he fought hard and gave orders after orders. The ship shaked and moved compulsively as the waves threw it away from the sighted coast.  
  
"We have no choice but to retreat!" Said one of Dorado's sailors, but Ruko would not accept that.  
  
"I can't wait any more! We're close enough to the destination!" She complained.  
  
"I'm sorry. I know it's important for you, but I must... wait! What are you doing?!"  
  
Ruko ran to the border and jumped, engulfed by the sea and soon losing sight of the ship.  
What she heard last was Dorado screaming her name.  
  
***  
  
A faint voice was calling her from afar. Darkness wrapped the place she found herself in and saw no one. She ran and ran while getting nowhere. It was as if she was running in any direction and on place.  
The voice kept saying her name but where was it coming from...? She fell on the nothingness out of exaustion and screamed back.  
Fear overcomed her as the black didn't fade away and the voice didn't reply. Ruko tried looking for a corner on which lean her back and curl herself up, but the more she tried, the more it felt like an infinite dark land.  
Suddenly, just as she was giving up, a bright source of light expanded to the point it reached her feet. She started running again, until she widened her eyes and was welcomed by an unfamiliar face.  
A young woman, perhaps a few years older than her, stood next to the bed she was resting in until then; she had very long blonde hair, perhaps even more than Vera, partly tied into two little twintails. Her eyes were brown, a little darker than hers; she wore a long flower-patterned and orange dress. As she noticed, the weather was definitely hotter compared to Hound.  
"Are you alright?" She asked in a loud but colorful voice. It vaguely reminded her of the one in her dream.  
  
"Sort of." Ruko soon found out her mouth tasted of salty water. She might have gulped a bit of it.  
  
"But reaally, what were you thinking of jumping out the ship that way? The Captain's was in total panic! Never seen him like that!"  
  
"Excuse me?"  
  
"Captain Darn passed here three days ago after a violent storm. He quickly demanded if we found a restless girl on the beach! And it was you no doubt. Thought you were dead for the cliffs, really."  
  
"I see... so he managed-- wait. This is the dog-shaped island?"  
  
"I guess that's how you mainlanders call our home, huh? Yeah, that's right. Though this is Pupil village. The island's called Lovelia."  
  
Ruko massaged her neck and stood up. She expected her savior to complain about her staying in bed, but she didn't.  
  
"You said the Captain was here three days ago? Have I been unconscious for so much?"  
  
"Yeah. I really thought you were dead, to be honest. But the Doc reassured all of us. Guess you can get up and walk since you got your rest, I don't know. I'd go to his clinic and thank him if I were you."  
  
"Um. I certainly will. Where is it located at?"  
  
"Just outside the village. It's pretty small so you won't miss it. And... I guess you should ask the mayor for a house to stay at, don't you think? No worries, you can stay here as much as you want!"  
  
"That's nice of you, thanks. Um... I'm Ruko."  
  
"Ah yes, my name. Forgot about that! I'm Emely."

  



End file.
